To the whole Gibson family: Friendships are a strange thing. Some follow you through your whole life while others are there for only a short time. But the bond is just as strong in both. Mark was only a part of my life for about 5 years. I was working at Pantry Pride when Mark was hired in as a carry out boy probably around 16 or 17 years old. He was a skinny short kid that had the most unique laugh that could make anybody smile. He had such a great personality with the customers and they all just loved him. After he graduated he came to work on the night crew which was where I had been working too. This is where I really got to know Mark. Mark was assigned to what we called the veggie aisle. It had all the canned veggies, tomatoes, pickles, ect. My aisle was the next over and called the ketchup aisle. After unloading the trucks and 2 wheeling all boxes of products down the middle of the rows we would begin to cut open the boxes, stamp the prices, and fill the shelves. We would talk all night to each other from across the aisles. He always looked so forward to each summer so that he could coach kids baseball. He would come to work all excited his kids had won a game and was in such high spirts all night that he would fly through all the work in his aisle and move over and help me. The whole time whistling and smiling. But when they lost he also felt that. He would come to work all down and bummed out. His work would slow way down and he wouldn't talk to any of us. He truly had passion and love for all those kids. We had many great long conversations over all that shelving for nearly 4 years. I really learned a lot about him. At this point in his life he was in his early 20s. He was really getting into listening to new bands that were total unknowns. He particularly liked female singers. One that still makes me laugh today is a singer named Kate Bush. She was pretty new and had a song out called " Running up that Hill". I had heard it on the radio and told Mark what a neat song it was. He went to Lima the next day and bought the CD. He came into work that next night aggravated because that song was the only good one on the whole CD. Back then CDs weren't cheap because they were new. One last thing I'd like to mention was Mark loved to throw Frisbee. Us guys on the night crew would get a one hour lunch break. In good weather we would turn the lights on in the parking lot and stand in a massive circle and throw Frisbee. Mark was one of the better throwers and never missed his target. We all had so much fun together throwing Frisbee. After I left Pantry Pride in 1994 I only saw Mark a few times after. Like me his belly had gotten bigger and some of his hair had fallen out. But the laugh and smile remained the same. Mark was a great friend to me in our 20s. Although not long enough the bond was tight and Mark will always be my friend. R.I.P. Mark.

Scott Knerr, Wapakoneta, OH

January 26, 2018

I'm so sorry for the Gibson family loss Mark was a great man he was my coach through my time of playing peewee ball. Mark was very dedicated to us kids he could take a team to the top I know he did my team every year. I was afraid to go on to little league cause I knew Mark wasn't going with me. But he would stop by the fence and watch I remember the one season we won and Mark took us all to Glaicer Hills. Me

Michael (Benji) Werling, Cridersville, OH

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January 25, 2018

So sorry for your loss, Mark was one of the nicest guy I had ever met. I met him on the ball field when he and Todd Rosebrook coached along side of my husband. They were such positive role models for my kids. He always had a smile,completely there for the kids. wonderful learning experience... God has chosen one of the best, God Bless you and your families. Mark will truly be missed but never forgotten. He would of made one of the "Greatest Grandpas" ever someday....Make sure future kids know all about him...it would of made him so "Proud!" God Bless you all! Dave & Brenda Greve and Family

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